Jony Ive's exit from Apple caused by company culture changes and growing frustration
Apple's former design chief Jony Ive left the iPhone maker burnt out and tired in the wake of CEO Tim Cook's numerous structural changes, an article based on a book on Apple's transformation claims, with the film "Yesterday" becoming part of Ive's announcement to leave to his design team.
Jony Ive left Apple in 2019, after almost three decades working for the tech giant on many of its major products. The departure was a shock exit, but one that was inevitable due to a change in culture at the company.
In a New York Times article based on the Tripp Mickle book "After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul," Ive resigned after years of frustration, seeing the company migrate from a design-centric entity to one that was more utilitarian.
The account starts by emphasizing the relationship between Ive and former CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs, detailing the creation of the iconic iMac. With Ive's presence deemed to be a relief for Jobs at times, the two famously worked closely together, with Jobs constantly visiting the company's design studio.
With the introduction of Cook and the death of Jobs, Ive's experience at the company had considerably changed. Cook seemingly showed lower interest in design than Jobs, with far fewer visits to the studio during the creation of the Apple Watch.
During changes of focus for the Apple Watch from fashion to fitness, Ive reportedly approached Cook about being tired and intending to step back from the business. Arguments with colleagues over promotion and managing hundreds of staff instead of the smaller 20-person design team also drained Ive considerably.
The fear of Ive's departure affecting the stock price prompted Cook into reducing Ive's responsibilities and making him chief design officer. At that time, very few at Apple apparently knew of Ive's frustration and burnout.
The changes also apparently led to Ive working differently, switching from almost daily product reviews to sometimes not passing judgment on designs at all for some weeks.
For the 10th-anniversary iPhone, Ive called together software designers for a product review at San Francisco's social club, The Battery. After failing to apologize for arriving nearly three hours late, Ive reviewed printouts and provided feedback, but didn't make any final decisions at that time.
While Ive was seemingly absent, Cook continued to shift the company in a new direction, including bringing in former Boeing finance chief James Bell as a company director to replace marketer Mickey Drexler. Ive wasn't supportive of the change, commenting "He's another one of those accountants" to a colleague.
Cook's enabling of the finance department to have more say also irked Ive, which moved to audit outside contractors.
On Ive's decision to depart, the article talks about an evening in June 2019 where Ive brought together his design teams to a theater for a private screening of "Yesterday." The movie choice was apt, as it was a "two-hour exploration of the eternal conflict between art and commerce," the article states.
After the foreshadowing movie, Ive told his teams "Art needs the proper space and support to grow. When you're really big, that's especially important."
One day later, design teams were told to clear their calendars for a meeting with Ive, who told them that with the completion of the new building, his time at the company was ending. Ive praised the team and urged them to maintain Apple's identity, as well as assuring them he would continue to work as a consultant via his design firm LoveFrom.
Since Ive's departure, and receiving a CEO-worthy exit package valued at more than $100 million, design at Apple has seemingly taken a back seat to features and performance. Designers said the lack of Ive has prompted more collaboration with colleagues working in engineering than before, but at the same time they face more cost pressures over their work.
Read on AppleInsider
Jony Ive left Apple in 2019, after almost three decades working for the tech giant on many of its major products. The departure was a shock exit, but one that was inevitable due to a change in culture at the company.
In a New York Times article based on the Tripp Mickle book "After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul," Ive resigned after years of frustration, seeing the company migrate from a design-centric entity to one that was more utilitarian.
The account starts by emphasizing the relationship between Ive and former CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs, detailing the creation of the iconic iMac. With Ive's presence deemed to be a relief for Jobs at times, the two famously worked closely together, with Jobs constantly visiting the company's design studio.
With the introduction of Cook and the death of Jobs, Ive's experience at the company had considerably changed. Cook seemingly showed lower interest in design than Jobs, with far fewer visits to the studio during the creation of the Apple Watch.
During changes of focus for the Apple Watch from fashion to fitness, Ive reportedly approached Cook about being tired and intending to step back from the business. Arguments with colleagues over promotion and managing hundreds of staff instead of the smaller 20-person design team also drained Ive considerably.
The fear of Ive's departure affecting the stock price prompted Cook into reducing Ive's responsibilities and making him chief design officer. At that time, very few at Apple apparently knew of Ive's frustration and burnout.
The changes also apparently led to Ive working differently, switching from almost daily product reviews to sometimes not passing judgment on designs at all for some weeks.
For the 10th-anniversary iPhone, Ive called together software designers for a product review at San Francisco's social club, The Battery. After failing to apologize for arriving nearly three hours late, Ive reviewed printouts and provided feedback, but didn't make any final decisions at that time.
While Ive was seemingly absent, Cook continued to shift the company in a new direction, including bringing in former Boeing finance chief James Bell as a company director to replace marketer Mickey Drexler. Ive wasn't supportive of the change, commenting "He's another one of those accountants" to a colleague.
Cook's enabling of the finance department to have more say also irked Ive, which moved to audit outside contractors.
On Ive's decision to depart, the article talks about an evening in June 2019 where Ive brought together his design teams to a theater for a private screening of "Yesterday." The movie choice was apt, as it was a "two-hour exploration of the eternal conflict between art and commerce," the article states.
After the foreshadowing movie, Ive told his teams "Art needs the proper space and support to grow. When you're really big, that's especially important."
One day later, design teams were told to clear their calendars for a meeting with Ive, who told them that with the completion of the new building, his time at the company was ending. Ive praised the team and urged them to maintain Apple's identity, as well as assuring them he would continue to work as a consultant via his design firm LoveFrom.
Since Ive's departure, and receiving a CEO-worthy exit package valued at more than $100 million, design at Apple has seemingly taken a back seat to features and performance. Designers said the lack of Ive has prompted more collaboration with colleagues working in engineering than before, but at the same time they face more cost pressures over their work.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
But he failed giving Apple a future and I almost expect the next CEO toy (something with AR) is going to be the same thing as the 'Damn scribble toy' (S. Jobs) that failed to deliver a quality product from that guy that used to sell 'sugar water' (S.J. again).
History is repeating itself: The last round John Scully managed to grow the Macintosh after Steve left and essentially proved Apple is no longer able to develop a good product (case in point the embarrassing joke that was the Newton).
Now Tim Cook took over (again from SJ) and is executing well on all the (many) things Steve started, but I'm afraid he will fail delivering a quality AR Thingamagick (and the 'old' Apple stuff also starts to crumble in oh so many places).
I think Peak Apple is already behind us.
Some recognition should be given to the A15/M1 Apple silicon team. That’s a real winner that will keep Apple competitive.
Either way, I think for the most part Apple is giving people what they want like never before. (Aside from the lack of a proper silver iPhone 13) the Mac Studio and Studio and Studio display have been wanted by fans of the company since the Cube died. The new iPhones are designed to look beautiful and are more damage resistant than ever.
After Jobs there was no one to fill that void.
Oh, please Jony has his time, his period of growth. However, technology and BUSINESS change. Many want Apple to look back, and or go back to its roots. Not the so called “beleaguered” that many of us remember. Apple moved ahead with innovative technology and without having to imitate itself “ad nauseam” because of times past. I got my first 128 Mac when it first came out. I never looked back. Perhaps we leave the cosmetic behind to see the new chips, software, and dynamics. We shall say: thanks Steve and Jony we miss you both, BUT Tim moved the company ahead looking after the clients. Period. Welcome to the always new Apple.
Jony's addition to thinness meant products had less ports and limited the battery life of both Phones and laptops.